Autonomous Oil Skimmer Boat

Overview

Oil spills in oceans, lakes, and rivers can cause serious harm to people, wildlife, and ecosystems. Traditional cleanup methods are often slow, costly, and sometimes dangerous. This project presents an autonomous, smartphone-controlled oil skimmer boat that efficiently removes oil from water surfaces in a safer and more affordable way. Rotating CD disks collect oil, which is then scraped into a storage container. The boat is powered by DC motors and controlled by an Arduino Uno, managing both movement and oil collection. It operates autonomously through Bluetooth, and its floating design keeps it stable on water. The goal of this project is to create a low-cost, reusable, and environmentally friendly solution for cleaning small-scale oil spills in ponds, lakes, and coastal areas. The hypothesis of this project was tested and successfully proven. About 80% of the oil was collected from the water and the mixture collected was around 95% oil and only 5% water. It was also observed that adjusting the motor speed affected the amount of oil and water collected, highlighting the importance of optimizing the system for maximum efficiency.

Competition history

• CSEF 2026 Environmental Engineering (Junior Division) · Entry J-11-46

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